The smallest of the bears, the sun bear is known in popular media for its appearance. They are native to rainforests in Southeast Asia, where they are facing population decline from deforestation. One defining feature of the Sun Bear is their long tongue, which they use to forage for insects and sap!

Sketch & fact contributed by Isabelle McDonald-Gilmartin

Reference:

Sethy, J., & Chauhan, N. P. S. (2018). Dietary preference of Malayan sun bear Helarctos malayanus in Namdapha Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh, India. Wildlife Biology, 2018(1). https://doi.org/10.2981/wlb.00351